Workers from Blizzard Entertainment's department for Story and Franchise Development have voted to unionize. Members of the team will become members of the Communication Workers of America and Microsoft has recognized the union. The SFD team is responsible for cinematics, animation and narrative in Blizzard's series, creating content such as in-game cutscenes and promotional videos. The department also includes archival workers and historians for Blizzard franchises, such as World of Warcraft and Overwatch. A spokesperson from CWA said that there will be about 169 workers from the company joining the local chapter.
"After more than a decade working at Blizzard, I've seen all the highs and lows. For years, Blizzard has been a place where people could build their careers and stay for decades, but that stability's been fading," Bucky Fisk, a principal editor and member of the organizing committee, said. "With a union, we're able to preserve what makes this place special, secure real transparency in how decisions are made, and make sure policies are applied fairly to everyone."
"These past couple of months have felt both important and cathartic given what's happened to video game workers across the industry," said Sammi Kay, another member of the organizing committee and an associate producer at Blizzard. "At multiple points in my life, I've always been told to accept the way things are, but with organizing, we're able to build a future better than we found it."
Blizzard is owned by Microsoft. Today's development marks the latest move for game developers under the tech giant's umbrella to pursue union representation. About 600 quality assurance workers from Activision joined CWA last March. The QA team from ZeniMax also ratified its union agreement in June and Raven Software finally secured a union contract earlier this month.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/blizzards-story-and-franchise-development-team-has-voted-to-unionize-213818158.html?src=rss
Databases used by US federal courts for sharing and managing case documents have been hacked. Politico first reported on the hack last week on August 6; today, an investigation from The New York Times states that Russia is suspected to be involved in the attack. The Administrative Office of the US Courts initially identified the severity of the cyberattack in July, although the extent of the breach by "persistent and sophisticated cyber threat actors" has not been disclosed and may still not be known by national officials.
Both the Case Management/Electronic Case Files (CM/ECF) and PACER systems have been impacted by the attack. CM/ECF is used by legal professionals and courts to store documents, while PACER grants the public limited access to those same files. Anonymous officials told Politico that chief judges for federal courts in the 8th Circuit were briefed on the attack, but were unable to confirm what agency provided the briefing. The 8th Circuit includes Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.
Politico's original report said the hack may have "compromised the identities of confidential informants involved in criminal cases at multiple federal district courts." The Times coverage added that some of the searches by the intruders "included midlevel criminal cases in the New York City area and several other jurisdictions, with some cases involving people with Russian and Eastern European surnames." However, there have been no additional details revealed about what entity is behind the attack, whether a branch of Russian intelligence may have been involved, or what evidence the investigators have discovered tying the hack to Russia.
The isn't the only time CM/ECF has been a hacking target. The courts introduced new protections for the system in 2021 in response to a cyberattack; a similar announcement arrived on August 7. At this time, the courts have been ordered to move files for cases that may have been of interest off the compromised systems, although some districts have ordered even more limited use of CM/ECF or PACER as a preventive measure.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/russia-reportedly-implicated-in-hack-on-us-federal-courts-databases-204029993.html?src=rss
Meta's X competitor, Threads, is continuing to add users at a brisk clip, with the social network now surpassing 400 million monthly active users. The news, reported by Fast Company, follows Threads reaching the 300 million mark in December 2024 and the 200 million mark in August 2024.
FC also cited data from Similarweb that showed mobile performance for Threads drawing closer to the figures from X. In June, Threads posted 115.1 million daily active users on mobile and X had 132 million. Those figures marked an increase of 128 percent on-year for Threads, but a slide of 15 percent from the previous year for X.
When Meta launched Threads in 2023, Mark Zuckerberg set a goal of making it "a public conversations app with 1 billion+ people on it." There was still plenty of progress left for the platform to make after its first year, on users and features. But already in 2025, Threads has added some pretty core features such as DMs and an increased emphasis on external links (although whether people will click those links is a separate question).
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/threads-is-up-to-400-million-monthly-active-users-190203754.html?src=rss
Previously, if you wanted a monitor for competitive gaming, you had to choose between an IPS or VA panel to get something with a super high refresh rate or opt for a slower OLED display with richer colors and better contrast. But today, Samsung is changing that with the Odyssey OLED G6, which is the first 500Hz OLED gaming monitor in the world.
Available for $1,000, the Odyssey OLED G6 (G60SF) only comes in one size (27 inches) and features a QHD resolution (2,560 x 1440) with a 16:9 aspect ratio and critically, that blisteringly speedy 500Hz refresh rate with a .03ms (GTG) response time. Its QD-OLED panel also has a matte anti-reflective coating and support for both AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and NVIDIA G-Sync. And after seeing it in person, it really is a very pretty monitor, as it boasts vibrant colors and deep inky blacks while still being able to satisfy even the most demanding competitive gamers.
Sam Rutherford for Engadget
That said, the Odyssey OLED G6 is a rather straightforward product. It doesn't come with any of Samsung's built-in smart features like an included remote or the company's Gaming Hub. And with a typical brightness of just 300 nits, while you do get VESA DisplayHDR TrueBlack 500 certification, it's not the best monitor to put in a sunny room.
But that's not exactly a deal-breaker, because from what I've seen, this thing is a purpose-built device that's meant to do one thing really well: display games super fast without sacrificing on image quality. And if for some reason you get tired of playing games, you could do some photo or video editing as the display is Pantone Validated and covers 99 percent of the DCI-P3 spectrum.
Aside from the Odyssey OLED G6, today Samsung is also introducing a couple new additions to the Odyssey G7 line as well. The smaller of the two is the 37-inch Odyssey G7 which features more traditional dimensions including a 4K curved 16:9 VA panel with a typical brightness of 350 nits and a 165Hz refresh rate.
Sam Rutherford for Engadget
Alternatively, for those who prefer ultra-wide monitors, the 40-inch Odyssey G7 has the same brightness and 1000R curve as its smaller sibling, but with a 21:9 WUHD (5,120 x 2160) resolution and a slightly faster 180Hz refresh rate. Interestingly, despite being the wider of the two, due to its 16:9 aspect ratio, the 37-inch Odyssey G7 looks larger in person. And thanks to their slightly higher brightness, both the 37 and 40-inch Odyssey G7 have VESA Display HDR 600 ratings.
All three monitors are on sale today. The Odyssey OLED G6 costs $1,000 while the 37-inch Odyssey G7 is going for $900 or $1,200 for the larger 40-inch Odyssey G7.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/the-samsung-odyssey-oled-g6-is-the-worlds-first-500hz-oled-gaming-monitor-180534184.html?src=rss
Alien: Earth delivers everything you'd want from a series with "Alien" in the title: The iconic Xenomorphs hunting down hapless humans; gratuitous body horror; and androids who you can never fully trust. But writer/director Noah Hawley (Legion, Fargo) and his team also manage to push the franchise to new heights, delving into the philosophical questions that Ridley Scott's Prometheus and Alien Covenant couldn't fully explore. It's not just merely an Alien TV show — it's a meticulously crafted experience that elevates the entire franchise, even more so than the recent Alien: Romulus.
The series, which premieres today on FX and Hulu, takes place two years before the original Alien. It starts with the familiar: A group of astronauts awakening from cryosleep on a retro-futuristic-Weyland Yutani shipping vessel. We learn they're carrying precious extraterrestrial cargo, which predictably breaks loose and wreaks havoc throughout the ship. Meanwhile on Earth (somewhere we haven't seen at all in the franchise), we're introduced to a terminally ill child undergoing a radical new procedure: having her brain uploaded into a Synthetic body (played by Sydney Chandler).
This child takes the name Wendy — one of many Peter Pan references in the series — and embraces her new (and more mature) robotic body with childlike wonder. Instead of just being a frail kid, she becomes incredibly strong, with fast reflexes and the ability to jump down safely from great heights. It's like she's become an anime heroine a la Battle Angel Alita (at one point, she straps on a katana-like sword simply because it looks badass).
Wendy isn't human, but she's not a total android either since her personality and memories are uploaded from a human brain. She's something entirely new. She becomes a sort of older sibling to other sick kids going through the same human-Synthetic hybridization process, and together they form their own spin on the Lost Boys (including some girls). They even go so far as to take names from Peter Pan characters (one kid, unfortunately, gets stuck with the name Smee, after Captain Hook's cowardly lackey). And to her creator, Prodigy Corporation head Boy Kavalier (Samuel Blenkin), she's the key to a future where people can cheat death and practically live forever in synthetic bodies.
FX
The alien-filled spaceship ends up crash-landing in one of Prodigy's cities in Southeast Asia (in this universe, five mega-corporations run the world, nation states no longer exist), and Boy Kavalier recklessly decides to test his new hybrid superteam with a rescue mission. They discover one survivor, Morrow (Babou Ceesay), a loyal security officer with a badass robotic arm, as well as a classic Xenomorph and a slew of new species. I won't spoil much about them here, but I have a feeling the cheeky multi-eyeball parasite will quickly become a fan-favorite.
Alien: Earth finally immerses us in elements of the franchise the movies could only hint at. We see what a completely corporate-run Earth looks like, and it's as gross as you'd imagine. As usual, Weyland-Yutani prioritizes its extraterrestrial treasures over the lives of its workers. But it's even more sickening to see Boy Kavalier — the sort of obnoxious tech bro who defiantly puts his bare feet on desks during meetings — salivate at the opportunity to steal and study the alien cargo. Never mind the hundreds (and potentially thousands) of lives lost in his own city, or the inherent dangers in bringing deadly alien creatures into his research lab.
Timothy Olyphant as Kirsh.
Patrick Brown/FX
The series is at its best when it interrogates the big questions posed (with more or less deftness) by the films about the nature of being human. And where does that leave the new hybrids, who combine human memory and emotion with Synthetic bodies, who are somewhat immortal? In many ways, Alien :Earth seems just as cynical about humanity's value to the world as Scott's films. Humans will sacrifice countless lives for greed — maybe the planet would actually be better off without us.
With Prometheus, Ridley Scott aimed to explore the hubris of humans attempting to meet their creator, and the possibility the Synthetics (like Michael Fassbender’s David) may be more of evolved lifeforms. But the broader themes were bogged down by weak scripts (and from what I’ve heard, Scott’s own interference in the story). Alien: Covenant was even less memorable. Both films suffered from the demands of being big-budget blockbusters – they couldn’t slow down long enough to let the audience think, instead they had to rush to the next set piece. An eight-episode TV series made for a streaming network doesn’t have to play by the same rules.
Babou Ceesay as Morrow in Alien: Earth.
Patrick Brown/FX
Even if you don’t want to engage with bigger ideas, though, Alien: Earth remains an embarrassment of riches. It features entirely new ways for extraterrestrials, not just Xenomorphs, to dismember their victims. It’s filled with fantastic performances across the board — Sydney Chandler, who has more of Wendy’s spunky energy than her Peter Pan namesake, is a standout. Babou Ceesay’s Morrow is ostensibly an antagonist, but it’s heartbreaking to see what he gives up to become a dutiful corporate underling. (His robotic arm can also whip out a sick Wolverine-like blade. How can you not love that?!)
Fans of the great Timothy Olyphant (Justified, Deadwood) will certainly appreciate his performance as Kirsh, Boy Kavalier’s Synthetic security head. We don’t get the playful side of Olyphant that we saw in Justified, but it’s endlessly entertaining to see his contempt for all humans (including his own boss) simmering beneath the surface.
I’ll admit, I was skeptical that Noah Hawley could deliver a decent Alien TV series. Legion was all style and no substance in my opinion, and while I enjoyed the first few seasons of Fargo, the end of its run was uneven. But with Alien: Earth, he has made something special. It’s not the thematic upgrade that Andor was for Star Wars, but it’s a sign that there’s still plenty of life left in the aging Alien franchise.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/alien-earth-succeeds-where-ridley-scotts-alien-sequels-failed-173234905.html?src=rss
Riot is making a major change to League of Legends after 16 years. It's adding the option to move around by using WASD controls instead of relying on a mouse to point and click, according to a video detailing the upcoming change.
Paul Bellezza, an executive producer on the game, says this is an attempt to attract new players. "We found that a lot of new or returning players struggle a lot with League's controls early on," he said. "Click to move just isn't the sort of control scheme they're used to, and it puts a lot of people off including many that we believe would otherwise really love the game."
The company says it's "working hard to ensure that both control schemes feel great across all ranks, champions and modes." One of the producers behind the new feature says it won't be "changing what makes League, League," which should assuage the worries of long-time players. The company is also not shy about reversing course if something doesn't work.
Riot has been testing the control scheme for some time to fine-tune the option. It'll be arriving as a public beta in the near future, sometime in "the next few patches." The devs say the feature will stay in beta so the team can "catch any bugs, unintended interactions and to ensure that your ranked games aren't disrupted by someone WASDing into walls."
It's smart for the team to take the slow approach here to make sure that both control schemes are fairly balanced. This also makes me wonder if the introduction of WASD controls signals a forthcoming release on home consoles.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/riot-is-trying-to-make-lol-more-accessible-by-adding-wasd-controls-170549596.html?src=rss
Anthropic has announced it will offer its Claude AI model to all three branches of the US government for $1, following OpenAI offering an almost identical deal last week. These deals both follow the General Services Administration adding OpenAI, Gemini and Anthropic to a list of approved AI vendors for the federal government.
Similar to the OpenAI deal, Anthropic will offer access to its commercial-tier service Claude for Enterprise for a period of one year at a cost of just $1. The offer will also encompass Claude for Government, which supports FedRAMP High workloads, allowing federal workers to use Claude for sensitive unclassified work. Government department or agency leadership can reach out today to gain access.
Anthropic is no stranger to working within the federal government. Earlier this summer, the Department of Defense awarded Anthropic, Google, OpenAI and XAI with deals worth up to $200 million to develop military applications.
The company made no larger mention of the Trump administration's AI Action Plan, or its requirement that large language models used by the federal government be "free from top-down ideological bias." The tacit understanding is that these LLMs not espouse support for anything the current administration opposes. President Trump even issued an executive order decreeing that AI must not favor "ideological dogmas such as DEI," in order to work with the federal government.
This latest deal comes as AI-related companies are increasingly looking to build close relationships with policymakers and the current administration. This week, NVIDIA agreed to a revenue-sharing agreement with the US government in order to sell its H20 AI GPUs to China. The current administration has made no secret of its wish for federal agencies to maximize their use of AI.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/anthropic-offers-its-claude-ai-model-to-the-federal-government-for-1-154217798.html?src=rss
Apple's AirPods could be getting a live translation feature in the near future as part of iOS 26, according to a report by 9to5Mac. A new beta version of the operating system dropped today and users have spotted a system asset that strongly points to the earbuds getting a language translation tool.
The asset appears to depict a gesture that's triggered by pressing both earbud stems at once. The image shows a pair of AirPods surrounded by words in various languages, like English, French, German and Portuguese.
This tracks for a couple of reasons. Apple announced a Live Translation tool at WWDC25, but AirPods weren't mentioned as a potential use case scenario. This feels like a natural extension for the feature that we already know is coming to FaceTime, Messages and phone calls. However, the AirPods software will be used for live in-person conversations.
Also, this isn't the first time we've heard rumblings that the software would be coming to Apple's line of earbuds. Bloombergannounced it was likely coming back in March, which was well before WWDC. Wearables are the perfect place for any kind of live translation software and we've already seen it pop up in stuff like the Meta Ray-Bans smart glasses.
There are still some unknowns. We don't know if the feature will run entirely on the actual earbuds or if it'll require an iPhone. The latter is likely, given that it seems tied to iOS 26. We also don't know which iPhones will support the software, though it'll likely be on models that offer Apple Intelligence. Apple iOS 26 is due next month, so we don't have that long to wait.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/apples-rumored-live-translation-feature-for-airpods-could-be-coming-with-ios-26-152715034.html?src=rss
Are you a TV watcher with commitment issues? Sling TV thinks it has the answer in the shape of its new one-day passes. The app-based alternative to traditional cable will sell you a $5 Day Pass that allows you to stream live TV (including sports)from any channel included in its Sling Orange plan for 24 hours.
Sling Orange costs $46 per month and includes the likes of the Disney Channel and various ESPN channels (including ESPN 4K) as plan exclusives. You also get access to channels like TBS, TNT, CNN, AMC and Comedy Central that are shared across both Sling Orange and the more expensive Sling Blue plan. On paper, Orange seems like a good choice for sports fans, given ESPN’s exclusive presence, but bear in mind that Fox Sports is a Blue plan-only channel.
Sling TV’s new Day Pass offering arrives just ahead of the new football season, and allows people who really want to watch a particular game without committing long term to do so. The streaming service is also introducing Weekend ($10) and Week ($15) passes for when you’re hoping to catch multiple traditional Pay-Per-View events or binge a series on a single pass. You can access more channels by adding one of Sling’s category-specific packages, like Sports Extra, News Extra or Entertainment Extra. Sling Extras cost $1 per package for a Day Pass, $2 for a Weekend Pass and $3 for a Week Pass.
How much value you get from Sling’s offering will depend on your viewing habits. If you find yourself buying lots of passes each month it’s probably worth considering a standard Sling Blue or Orange plan, but if you’re only interested in catching the occasional game, Sling TV’s flexibility could be appealing.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/sling-tv-launches-a-5-day-pass-for-commitment-free-cable-150021645.html?src=rss
Google is officially rolling out Preferred Sources, which lets you curate search results. The feature allows you to pick specific or "preferred" sources, like a certain blog or news outlet, and see them more prominently when you use Google Search. Google started testing it in June and it should be available in the coming days to English language users in the US and India.
Preferred Sources seems pretty simple to use. You go to Google, search for a topic and then click on the preferred sources option. You can type in the name of the publication or website you want to prioritize and then refresh your results. There's no limit to how many you can choose — though, of course, choosing too many defeats the purpose. The results should appear in a "top stories" or "from your sources" section when you search.
These sites should remain as your favorites on the same account. Anyone who participated in the Labs test should still see their preferences. In addition to encouraging social media follows, publications should also be able to encourage their readers to add them as a preferred source.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-lets-you-pick-preferred-sources-when-you-search-150012601.html?src=rss
Amazon has just dropped a trailer for the final season of Upload, the tech-centric comedy about a digital afterlife that's way too real at times (mild spoilers ahead). Created by Greg Daniels (The Office, Parks and Recreation, King of the Hill), it's set in an advanced future replete with things like holographic phones, killer self-driving cars and (killer) AI assistants. But since this advanced technology is run by the same irresponsible bros we have in charge today, naturally things go spectacularly wrong.
"In the four-part series finale event, sentient AI rapidly turns evil, threatening to wipe out [afterlife reort] Lakeview (and the world!)," Amazon writes "On top of greedy executives, lingering mysteries, plus heartbreak in VR and IRL, our characters are tested like never before. The only way they can get through it all and save humanity from deletion is by teaming up one last time."
Upload has generally received positive reviews, with an 88 percent Rotten Tomatoes rating thanks to the "witty writing and winsome cast [that] make it an afterlife worth living." The final season will hopefully wrap up any lingering mysteries and give our heroes some closure when it hits Amazon Prime Video on August 25.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/watch-prime-videos-official-trailer-for-uploads-final-season-140023678.html?src=rss
One downside to a fitness trackers is that they’re rarely able to understand the context in which their users live. It’s an issue Oura is looking to remedy by launching two sets of features intended to help people during pregnancy and when they reach perimenopause. Given both processes are liable to take a toll, causing physical, mental and emotional changes, having a smart ring that understands what’s going on is vital.
For the former, the Oura app will now monitor your biometrics throughout pregnancy and reference that against broader population data. You’ll also get deep dive trend analysis showing how your health and fitness has evolved through your pregnancy. Not to mention that the app, and the AI advisor, will not tell you off if your lifestyle becomes a little more sedentary towards the end of your pregnancy.
Perimenopause is the period of changes occurring in the run-up to the menopause, which can cause mood swings, depression, brain fog, muscle soreness and difficulty sleeping. Data from earlier this year suggests that one third of people have little to no knowledge of the condition, its symptoms, or treatment.
It’s something Oura is looking to address with Perimenopause Check-in, as part of its Cycle Insights feature. The company says users will be able to answer a 12-question assessment to rate the severity of their symptoms to quantify the impact on their quality of life. Users can turn this into a downloadable report that can be sent to healthcare providers to help explain how the symptoms are affecting them. Plus, the Oura app will integrate with various healthcare providers including Evernow, Maven and Progyny to get guidance on treatment including hormone therapy.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/oura-rolls-out-new-features-for-pregnancy-and-perimenopause-130000405.html?src=rss
No matter how old you get, the back-to-school season will always bring a desire to shop. So, sales at this time of year are always more than welcome — especially when they're on some of our favorite devices. Such is the case with the 10 percent discount currently available on the Sonos Era 100.
Sonos debuted the Era 100 speaker in 2023 as a replacement for the Sonos One. It offers great sound quality and has built-in mics for Trueplay tuning and voice control. It's worth mentioning that the Sonos Ace headphones are also on sale for $299, down from $399 — a 25 percent discount. The headphones have come a long way since they first launched, including the introduction of TrueCinema, which works with a Sonos soundbar to create the best spatial audio experience.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/get-up-to-25-percent-off-in-the-sonos-back-to-school-sale-125211320.html?src=rss
The unofficial end to summer might be around the corner, but that doesn't mean the outdoor fun has to end. That's particularly true when you can upgrade your backyard setup for less with a new portable speaker.
One of our favorites, the Ultimate Ears' Wonderboom 4, is on sale for $60, down from its usual $100 price. The 40-percent discount brings it down to a record-low price, and the discount applies to the black and blue colorways. It's one of our picks for best portable Bluetooth speakers for 2025 thanks to features like its 14 hours of battery life and its IP67 dust and waterproof rating.
There are a few other great sales on UE speakers right now. The Megaboom 4 portable speaker is down to $150 from $200 — a 25 percent discount in every color. Then there's a 33 percent discount on the standard Boom 4 portable speaker, dropping to $100, from $150. The sale is available in blue, black and red.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/one-of-our-favorite-bluetooth-speakers-is-cheaper-than-ever-right-now-132149449.html?src=rss
Elon Musk has accused Apple of committing an "unequivocal antitrust violation" by favoring OpenAI in the App Store rankings. In a post on X, he claimed that Apple has made it impossible for other AI companies to reach number one in those rankings and that xAI "will take immediate legal action." Musk didn't clarify what he meant by that, and he also didn't provide evidence that would prove Apple's supposed antitrust violation.
In an earlier post on X that's currently pinned to the top of his profile, however, he tagged Apple, asking the company why it "[refuses] to put either X or Grok in [its] "Must Have" section. He said X is "the #1 news app in the world," while Grok is ranked number five among all apps. "Are you playing politics? What gives?" he continued. We've asked Apple for a comment, but the company has yet to respond.
Meanwhile, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman posted a response to Musk's accusation on X, calling it a "remarkable claim," given that he has heard allegations that Musk manipulates "X to benefit himself and his own companies and harm his competitors and people he doesn't like." To note, Chinese AI chatbot DeepSeek became the top-rated free app on Apple's App Store back in January, overtaking even ChatGPT.
Apple is behaving in a manner that makes it impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach #1 in the App Store, which is an unequivocal antitrust violation.
While Musk didn't mention it, Apple has an ongoing partnership with OpenAI. The company has integrated ChatGPT into Apple Intelligence to power cloud-based queries for its platforms. More recently, the company said that Apple Intelligence will leverage the capabilities of OpenAI's GPT-5 in iOS 26, iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe 26, which are set to arrive sometime in September.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/elon-musk-feels-apple-favors-openai-over-xai-in-app-store-rankings-123034234.html?src=rss
CHONGQING, CHINA - AUGUST 12: In this photo illustration, a person uses a smartphone showing the Apple App Store top charts with ChatGPT ranked as the number one free app, followed by other popular applications including Grok, on August 12, 2025 in Chongqing, China. (Photo illustration by Cheng Xin/Getty Images)
Epic has spent the last five years fighting Apple's in-app purchase policies. Now, after half a decade, the Epic Games Store and Fortnite will once again be available on iOS in Australia. A judge has found Apple's conduct likely diminished competition, in part for not allowing alternative payment methods, the Australian Financial Review reports.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Epic announced, "An Australian court just found that Apple and Google abuse their control over app distribution and in-app payments to limit competition. There are 2,000+ pages of findings that we’ll need to dig into to fully understand the details. This is a win for developers and consumers in Australia!"
The Epic Games Store and Fortnite will come to iOS in Australia! An Australian court just found that Apple and Google abuse their control over app distribution and in-app payments to limit competition. There are 2,000+ pages of findings that we’ll need to dig into to fully…
Epic started this battle when it bypassed Apple's in-app purchasing method, using its own. The move meant Apple lost its 30 percent cut of all sales. Apple banned Epic and a lengthly legal back-and-forth followed. In April, a judge in the US ruled that Apple could no longer collect commissions on purchases not paid through the App Store. Epic Games and Fortnite returned to the US App Store in May.
It's unclear when exactly Epic Games and Fortnite will return to iOS in Australia and if this battle is finally coming to an end.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/fortnite-is-coming-back-to-ios-in-australia-after-legal-win-against-apple-120041043.html?src=rss
INDIA - 2024/09/14: In this photo illustration, an Epic Games logo seen displayed on a smartphone with an Apple logo in the background. The relationship between Epic Games and Apple became widely known due to a legal dispute. In 2020, Epic Games, the creator of the popular game Fortnite, challenged Apple's App Store policies by introducing a direct payment option in Fortnite, bypassing Apple's 30% commission on in-app purchases. Apple responded by removing Fortnite from the App Store, leading to a major lawsuit.
Epic accused Apple of anti-competitive behavior, claiming that the company had a monopoly on app distribution and payments within its ecosystem. The case, which addressed broader issues of app store policies and digital marketplaces, attracted significant attention and sparked debate about the control tech giants have over their platforms. (Photo Illustration by Avishek Das/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
A couple of months since the Switch 2 launched, we’ve all got to grips with the new magnetic-latching Joy-Cons, the jump in graphic fidelity and (honestly) the wait for a next-gen Zelda or Mario title. With the arrival of Donkey Kong Bananza, the new console has its first entirely new breakout platformer hit, we asked the Engadget team for the must-have games on the Switch 2.
With a leap in processing power, the Switch 2 can now handle ostensibly huge games like Hitman and Cyberpunk 2077. In fact, the latter’s release on Nintendo’s console nudged me into finally playing the game. I last played it on Google’s Stadia cloud gaming service (RIP), and gave up at the tutorial. Already, I’m having a more successful playthrough. I can even share my save between Switch 2 and PS5 — because I’m that lunatic who owns the game on both.
I’m also playing my way through the Switch 2 edition of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which now runs incredibly smoothly. This time, perhaps, I’ll finish it.
Read on for the full list — we’ll be updating it as more games arrive.
It’s part of the company’s new Universal EV Platform.
Ford has announced a new family of products will share its new Universal EV Platform will be shared by a new family of products, and the first of those will be a mid-sized pickup with a starting price of around $30,000. It could be similar in configuration to the Ford 2022 Maverick.
A unified EV platform is a pretty dry announcement, but Ford’s only two EVs are the F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E, both of which use one-off platforms. With the Universal EV Platform, Ford will be able to build multiple vehicles, including vans, cars and pickups, which should be easier to build and, crucially, cheaper.
Did you know AOL is part of the company that owns Engadget?. Yeah, it’s… intriguing. AOL, a company that brought the internet to millions (including my family), says it will discontinue its dial-up service on September 30, marking the end of an era. First spotted by PC Gamer, the surprising AOL announcement was in a post buried oin its AOL Help page.
Paramount just acquired the US rights to UFC for seven years in a deal worth $7.7 billion. The deal covers the organization’s full slate of 13 marquee bouts and 30 Fight Night events, starting in 2026. Notably, this means the end of the pay-per-view (PPV) model ESPN+ has favored for premium UFC events. If you think that’s a crazy amount of money, how about this: Skydance Media officially acquired all of Paramount and its subsidiaries for $8 billion.
DJI entered the smart home world with a range of robot vacuums called ROMO. After drones, gimbals and action cameras, it had to be vacuum cleaners, right? The same system that helps DJI drones avoid crashes when recording video apparently translates into a robot vacuum that can navigate a home without running into furniture. DJI is offering the ROMO in three models: the entry-level ROMO S, which starts at around $650;, the mid-range ROMO A, with a transparent vacuum design that goes for around $750,; and the top-of-the-line ROMO P, which has both a transparent vacuum and a base station for at least $950.
There's arguably no piece of tech more important for a college student than a good laptop. Whether you’re working on an essay, doing research for a paper or just need some downtime streaming your favorite show, a solid laptop for college is an investment that can (and should) last you for years. While the best laptops come in all shapes and sizes and range in price, college students don’t need a power-hungry machine or a notebook with the latest graphics card to get things done. For most, the best laptop for college is ideally thin and lightweight, and provides enough battery to last all day without having to be tethered to the wall. No matter what you’re studying, we’ve researched and tested a range of laptops for you to consider as you decide which is the best laptop for college for you.
What to consider in your next laptop for college
It’s important to consider your major and what you need your laptop to do before deciding on the best laptop for college. For example, if you’re a liberal arts major and will mostly be writing or making presentations, you don’t need an expensive system with a discrete graphics card. Alternatively, if you’re a film major who might need to render videos on a regular basis, having a beefy PC can significantly reduce the time it takes to finish a project. You’ll also want to take a look at any guidelines provided by your college or your specific program, as you may need required software or apps that only run on a specific OS.
Some other things to consider are if you want a more portable 13 or 14-inch machine that’s easier to carry around, or if you prefer something with a larger screen. On top of that, if you are doing tasks like photo or video editing, you’ll probably want to go for a system with a high-resolution display (1440p or 4K), so it's easier to see details. As for other specs, ideally you’ll want 16GB of RAM (though you can go down to 8GB on a Chromebook) and at least 512GB or 1TB of storage. Most newer laptops now come with SSD storage, too, which means you can store and transfer data much faster.
Finally, while your budget ultimately will determine how powerful of a laptop you can get, well-equipped ultraportables will generally cost between $1,000 and $1,400, with prices going up from there for systems with discrete GPUs. Budget Windows laptops and Chromebooks can be affordable alternatives though, with many going for just $500 to $700. But again, remember to check your school’s requirements because it’s not worth saving a few bucks only to find out that your notebook can’t run the app you need for all your homework.
A mouse may seem like a small consideration for your workstation setup. But after you’ve addressed the crucial ergonomics — raising your monitor to eye-level, using the right keyboard and taking frequent breaks throughout your workdays — it’s a good idea to make sure the mouse you use is comfortable as well. People dealing with conditions like carpal tunnel and wrist pain may be interested in finding the best ergonomic mouse for them. Vertical and semi-vertical designs turn your palm towards your midline instead of downwards, creating a handshake position that may feel more natural. Others employ a trackball to minimize the work your shoulder has to do in a day. I tested out more than 20 highly regarded ergonomic mice to come up with recommendations for vertical, semi-vertical, trackball and more, along with advice about the merits of the different ergonomic designs.
Like everything related to ergonomics, the mouse design that works best for you will depend on your body and what you need to do on a typical day. So the shapes, added features and how the mouse communicates with your computer will determine which you should get.
Types and shapes of ergonomic mice
When we’re talking about ergonomic mice for productivity purposes, it usually refers to mice that look distinctly different from the standard, typically with shapes that tilt your hand towards a more “handshake” position instead of facing your palm downward. A vertical ergonomic mouse has the most severe up-and-down angle, semi-vertical mice split the difference and trackball models stay put on your desk while your thumb controls the movement of the cursor. Gaming mice have an ergonomic category as well, but that simply refers to a mouse with curves designed to fit either the right or left hand. It differentiates those mice from ambidextrous models, which don’t conform to a particular hand.
Each of three ergonomic mice shapes can help address different concerns. If you’re trying to avoid twisting your forearm, a vertical mouse could be what you need. Clicking a vertical mouse feels more like pinching your finger and thumb together, which could relieve certain other wrist issues as well.
A semi-vertical mouse feels the most like a traditional computer mouse, with an angle closer to 50 or 60 degrees from your desk. Semi-vertical mouse clicks can feel easier too, since you're pushing down instead of pinching. Some vertical and semi-vertical mice have an optional flange that supports the heel of your palm. Instead of pivoting on those bones to make your cursor move, your palm and wrist stay aligned and the entire arm controls the motion.
A trackball mouse can also keep your wrist from bending, as it keeps your forearm planted. My personal struggle is with neck and shoulder tension, so trackballs and very lightweight vertical mice work best for me as their configuration lets me keep my forearm from moving.
DPI, weight and buttons
As this guide focuses on productivity mice, gaming-specific stats like polling rates and IPS values don’t really come into play. (My colleague Jeff Dunn does a good job of explaining those metrics in his gaming mouse review guide.) What matters here are numbers like DPI, or dots per inch, which indicates how sensitive a mouse is. The higher the setting, the faster your cursor will move across the screen. Low DPI settings let you do precision work like pixel-by-pixel editing in Photoshop. All the mice here have at least two and as many as five settings, ranging from 400 to 3,200 DPI. Mice that make it easy to switch from high to low DPI might make sense if you do a lot of detailed work.
Weight makes a difference in vertical and semi-vertical mice (but not trackballs, since they stay put). A lighter model will be easier to move around, which could put less strain on your wrist and arm. That said, a little weight can make your movements feel more precise. For reference, a featherweight gaming mouse might weigh 45 grams and a large vertical mouse with a flange attached might weigh 140 grams. The latter may feel a little heavy, but if it has smooth feet and is used with a decent mouse pad, it will feel lighter.
It's always nice to have easily clickable buttons, but that matters even more when body health is a concern. Pressing hard on a button tenses up my arm and shoulder like nobody’s business. Since it’s an action desk workers perform hundreds or thousands of times a day, it's essential that it be effortless — nothing ruled out a mouse quicker in my tests than tough buttons.
Extra features
All mice have the basics: a right and left button and a scroll wheel. All mice in this guide also have a DPI selector button. Some have other functions such as a scroll wheel that can click with a press or handle horizontal scrolling by tilting the wheel to the right or left. Many also have back and forward buttons for browser windows, and sometimes those two are programmable to perform different functions in other apps.
More complex mice have additional buttons to customize, typically using a mouse’s proprietary software. Depending on that software, you can set buttons to mute calls, copy and paste, undo and redo, switch tabs and more. Performing multiple functions without extraneous movement is a big plus in ergonomic design. Of course, there are a number of keyboards that let you program multiple functions into specific keys, which cuts down on superfluous movement even more, which you can read about in our ergonomic keyboard guide.
Connectivity and compatibility
All the mice here will work with Mac's operating system as well as Microsoft Windows, and some work with Chrome, Linnux and even iPadOS (though I didn’t test those) as well. They connect in three ways: Wired, via Bluetooth or with a 2.4Ghz wireless dongle. More devices have incorporated USB-C interfaces, but most mice still use USB-A. So if you have a laptop that only sports USB-C ports (looking at you, MacBook), you’ll need an adapter to use a wired or dongle-enabled mouse. You can use a hub or docking station for this purpose, but in testing this guide, I ran into connectivity issues using a wireless USB receiver in a docking station, particularly when there wasn’t a direct and completely clear path between the mouse and receiver. Everything worked far more reliably with just a direct USB-C to A adapter.
The difference between wireless and Bluetooth is twofold: a wireless dongle connection tends to be quicker to set up. You just plug in the accessory, turn on the mouse (potentially granting permission for the device) and you’re set. For Bluetooth, you need to open the settings menu, activate pairing mode on the mouse, search for the mouse and then click connect. There’s also a bit more latency when using Bluetooth versus a wireless mouse. It’s not something most people will notice doing workaday stuff, but if you plan on playing some Overwatch after hours and want to use the same mouse, you might want to go with the faster, 2.4Ghz route.
How we test ergonomic mice
After many hours of research and reading reviews, I gathered just over 20 mice with good claims to ergonomic design to test in my work setup. I mostly tried out mice geared towards a work-from-home or office setting, as opposed to gaming (we have a whole guide dedicated to that topic). I used each mouse for a few hours or a few days, noting how well they felt as well as how they performed. I mostly used a MacBook Pro M1 but verified Windows compatibility with an Asus ROG Strix laptop. For reference, my right hand measures 7.25 inches from the wrist crease to the tip of my middle finger, which is just under average for a man and large for a woman.
Other ergonomic mice we tried
Razer Pro Click V2 Vertical
I was thrilled to see a gaming company announce a vertical mouse. In gaming peripherals, the term "ergonomic" just means “not ambidextrous” as in, designed for the right (or left) hand. To be fair, Razer calls this a productivity mouse and a rep told me it was meant for those who work often and occasionally want to game with the same mouse. But still, the Pro Click V2 Vertical mouse is at least gaming adjacent and has an actual ergo design. The handshake position is nice and upright, forcing very little twisting in your forearm. It’s immediately apparent how well built it is, plus it’s lightweight, glides easily and nicely fits in the hand. It has three connectivity options: Bluetooth, wired or USB-A dongle. And, because this is Razer, you also get some sweet, sweet RGB lights at the bottom.
Unfortunately, I think Razer’s Basilisk V3 is still a better ergonomic mouse for gaming. Even though it doesn’t have the tilted handshake position, I vastly preferred using it to the Pro Click V2 Vertical. The V2 Vertical has a small flange that supports the pinky, but my palm was left to pinch against the desk, so I found myself lifting my arm a lot. While the Hyperspeed dongle is quite responsive, the Bluetooth connection was consistently slow to wake. Using the mouse wired wasn’t great either, as the weight of the cable was more noticeable with a tilted position. The right and left buttons required only a light touch if my hand fully grasped the mouse, but if I backed off the grip a little, the buttons were tough to click.
Finally, for a gaming mouse, there aren’t a ton of programmable buttons: just right, left, scroll, DPI and a forward/back pair surrounding the thumb slot. There are some great ideas here and, like most things Razer makes, the build is top-notch, so I’m excited to see if the brand’s next effort in the area of ergonomic gaming mouse addresses a few of this model’s drawbacks.
Logitech MX Master 3S
Logitech mice have made many appearances in our guides over the years. In our guide to the best productivity mice, we name the Logitech MX Master 3S the best wireless mouse you can get. As I considered its merits as a mouse, it was indeed an impressive option — it connected flawlessly, has a useful sideways wheel as well as the traditional scroll feature and the thumb rest is a nice touch. But the ergonomics didn't quite do it for me as it holds your hand in the standard, palm-down, claw-grip position.
Logitech Lift Vertical
The Logi Lift Vertical is likely one of the more popular ergonomic mice out there. It’s fairly lightweight, has an attractive design with a nice feel to the exterior. The buttons are easy to click and nearly silent. It also connects quickly using either Bluetooth or a dongle. Unfortunately, it doesn’t glide across the mouse pad all that smoothly, and the pinch grip the design requires actually aggregated my wrist. The cursor movements are fairly precise, though I occasionally had trouble getting the cursor to land just where I wanted it. Also, it’s small; my hands are too large for the Lift. Logitech’s Logitech MX Vertical is essentially a larger version, but again, the skinnier shape was uncomfortable in my hands and it was tough to get the cursor to go where I wanted it to.
HP 920 ergonomic vertical
The HP 920 ergonomic vertical also has a flange for resting your palm, but it makes the mouse overly heavy to move around. Without it, however, it's an extremely comfortable mouse with a premium feel, rechargeable battery, and two programmable thumb buttons. Unfortunately, the cursor movement was frustratingly imprecise and didn’t go exactly where I pointed, forcing a number of corrections — and extraneous movement is what we’re trying to avoid in ergonomic setups.
Turtle Beach Pure Air
Apart from the rather loud clicks, I was impressed with the build and performance of the Turtle Beach Pure Air. It’s lightweight, moves smoothly, and has impressively accurate cursor movements. But despite being labeled an ergonomic mouse, it’s particularly light on the ergonomics. There’s a divot for your right thumb, so it can't be called ambidextrous, but beyond that it’s a pretty standard (albeit quite nice) gaming mouse.
Perixx Perimice 719
The PERIMICE-719 from Perixx is a solid mouse with an exterior that feels nice to the touch. It has a comfortable, semi-vertical design, accurate cursor moves and a satisfyingly ratcheted scroll wheel. Plus, it offers reliable connectivity with a wireless dongle and only costs $22. Unfortunately, it was too small for my hand. Only folks with smaller glove sizes (or don’t mind adopting more of a fingertip grip) will be able to get the most out of this one.
Anker 2.4G vertical
The Anker 2.4G mouse could make a decent budget pick for anyone who doesn't mind using more of a pinch grip on their peripheral. It's lightweight and has a precise scroll wheel along with back and forward browser buttons. It's battery operated, but doesn't come with batteries and only connects via the included USB radio dongle. I also found the buttons a little harder to press which ultimately eliminated it from the running.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-ergonomic-mouse-120004931.html?src=rss
It sounds like President Trump no longer thinks Intel's CEO should resign. Trump has revealed on Truth Social that he met with Lip-Bu Tan, Howard Lutnick, the Secretary of Commerce, and Scott Bessent, the Secretary of the Treasury. He didn't discuss the details of their meeting, but he described it as "a very interesting one." Trump added: "His success and rise is an amazing story." If you'll recall, Trump alleged that Tan was "highly conflicted" due to his investments in hundreds of Chinese firms and should resign. Reuters had previously reported that some of those companies had links to the Chinese military. "Mr. Tan and my Cabinet members are going to spend time together, and bring suggestions to me during the next week," Trump said in his post.
According to a report by the Financial Times, Tan wrote a letter to Intel employees about the issue, telling that there had been a lot of misinformation about the roles he'd held. "I wanted to be absolutely clear... I have always operated within the highest legal and ethical standards," he reportedly wrote in the letter. He also said that Intel was communicating with the White House "to address the matters that have been raised and ensure they have the facts."
Trump's call for Tan to resign reportedly came about due a letter from Tom Cotton, the Republican head of the Senate Intelligence Committee, to the Intel CEO. Cotton apparently expressed concerns aout the "security and integrity of Intel's operations" due to Tan's ties with China. Tan was named the CEO of Intel in March, taking over a company that was losing money due to its foundry business being unable to secure big customers and lagging behind rivals like Taiwan Semiconductor. Since taking over, Tan has enforced several cost-cutting measures, including cutting jobs with the goal of reducing its workforce by 22 percent by the end of the year. He also recently told investors that Intel could abandon the development of its next-gen manufacturing technology if it fails to secure a large client.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/intels-ceo-has-successfully-wooed-president-trump-035339132.html?src=rss
29 April 2025, USA, San Jose: Lip-Bu Tan, Chief Executive Officer of Intel, appears at an event organized by the company. Photo: Andrej Sokolow/dpa (Photo by Andrej Sokolow/picture alliance via Getty Images)
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